July 2016, Vol. 243, No. 7

Government

INGAA Says Aspects of Methane Emission Limits Troublesome

The Environmental Protection Agency’s new rule requiring transmission pipelines to plug methane leaks at compressor stations includes some softening of earlier-proposed requirements, but will still impose substantial costs as companies move to repair leaks at new or modified compressors and controllers. The rule was issued under the Clean Air Act and represents the Obama administration’s next step in limiting greenhouse gas emissions, of which methane is the most environmentally hazardous. Natural gas pipeline companies will have to both reduce methane emissions and plug equipment leaks when they become apparent. In terms of concessions the EPA made, it decided to not finalize requirements